Putting glamour back into chamber music is perhaps not the raison d'etre of the Music Festival in Great Irish Houses but it's certainly a handy offshoot. Now in its 30th year, the festival, which runs for 10 days, includes musical events in some of Ireland's most magnificent houses including Birr Castle in Co Offaly and Hillsborough Castle in Co Down. Thursday night's opening was in Kildare's Castletown House, the founding home of the festival, so guests were able to view the rather impressive results of the recent renovations. Christ Church Baroque directed by Therese Timoney and featuring the celebrated baroque trumpet player, Crispian Steele-Perkins, opened the proceedings and those who travelled to Kildare for the opening included Judith Woodworth, artistic director of the festival and director of the National Concert Hall; Harold Fish of the British Council; the Hon Desmond Guinness and Penny Guinness of Leixlip Castle; sponsors including Brendan Coyle, managing director of Dataproducts and Gerard Healy, chief executive of Guardian Insurance.
The festival, which continues until next Saturday, attracts musicians from all over the world including British violinist, Tasmin Little, who featured in last year's last night at the Proms festivities, and Norwegian cellist, Truls Mork.